Hydrotherapy tank liner and method of giving hydrotherapy treatments

ABSTRACT

A hydrotherapy tank liner of a plastic film is provided with longitudinal conduits for connection with a source of pressurized and/or pulsating gas. When used, the liner is placed in a hydrotherapy tank and filled with the treating liquid. Holes are punched or opened in the conduits for passage of the gas therethrough to agitate the liquid closely adjacent thereto. The location of the holes is selected according to the needs of the patient.

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ies Tatet [54] ll-TTDROTHERAPY TANK LINER AND METHOD UT GTVINGHYDRfiTll-TEAPY TREATMENTS [72] Inventors: Robert C. Miller, Elgin; CarlK. Miller,

Libertyville, both of 111.

[73] Assignee: Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111.

[22] Filed: Feb. 18, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 12,216

[52] US. Cl ..128/66, 4/180 [51] int. Cl. .AtSlh 9/00 [58] lFieldofSearch ..128/66, 38;4/18O [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,031,685 5/1962 Baumann ..4/180 1 Mar. M, 1972 Popp ..4/ l 80 Von Orth..4/180 X Primary Examiner-L. W. Trapp Att0mey--Donald W. Banner,William S. McCurry and John W. Butcher ABSTRACT A hydrotherapy tankliner of a pliustic film is provided with longitudinal conduits forconnection with a source of pressurized and/or pulsating gas. When used.the liner is placed in a hydrotherapy tank and filled with the treatingliquid. Holes are punched or opened in the conduits for passage of thegas therethrough to agitate the liquid closely adjacent thereto. Thelocation of the holes is selected according to the needs of the patient.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented March 14, 1972 INVENTORS ROBE/@763M/Zlf? 044% K M/ZAEA 5Y6 (44% ATTORNEY HYDROTHERAPY TANK LINER ANDMETHOD OF GIVING HYDROTHERAPY TREATMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONGenerally, hydrotherapy treatments are given to patients by agitatinghydrotherapy liquid in which the patient is at least partially immersed.The liquid may be warm water and can be agitated by passing a gas, suchas air, therethrough. In the past, a pad or the like having one or moreconduits with a series of holes along the length thereof and generallyevenly spaced there along is immersed in the hydrotherapy tank prior toputting the patient therein. The conduit or conduits are connected to anair source whereby the hydrotherapy liquid is agitated by passing airthrough the holes.

According to the invention herein to be described a disposable plasticfilm with conduits adhered thereto or formed integrally therewith isplaced in a hydrotherapy tank so as to form a liner for the tank. Theconduits are connected to a source of pressurized and perhaps pulsatinggas and the tank is filled with the hydrotherapy liquid, as for examplewarm water. The hydrotherapist'places the patient in the tank and thenselects where and only where agitation of the liquid is desirable, suchselection being based upon the needs of the patient. The hydrotherapistthen selectively punches or opens holes in the conduits, so that the aircan pass therethrough and agitate the hydrotherapy liquid adjacent tothe hole or holes. After the hydrotherapy treatment an opening is madein the liner at the location of the tank drain, so that the liquid canflow through the drain and be disposed of. The plastic film liner isthen removed from the hydrotherapy tank and is disposed of. This insuresa sanitary hydrotherapy bath for each patient and eliminates thenecessity of sterilizing the hydrotherapy tank for each patient.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hydrotherapy tank with aliner made according to this invention therein, illustrating theconduits connected to a source of pressurized gas;

FIG. 2 is a sectional taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of another embodiment of the invention.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The drawings illustrate a hydrotherapy tankhaving a drain 12 for the passage of waste liquid therethrough. A liner14 constructed of a plastic film and having longitudinal conduits l6 and18, each closed at one terminal end and 22 respectively covers theinterior of the tank 10. The conduits l6 and 18 are joined at the otherend, in a connection 24 which is connected to a source of pressurizedand perhaps pulsating gas, such as a pump 26.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, the longitudinal conduits 28and 30 of the liner 32 are provided with a plurality of openings 34spaced along their lengths which are covered by a pressure sensitivecover 36. To use, selected portions of the tape cover 36 are removed toexpose the desired openings 34.

OPERATION The liner 14 is placed over the tank 10 and the conduits arejoined to the pump 26. The liner is filled with hydrotherapy liquid anda patient is placed therein. The hydrotherapist selects the zone orzones in which agitation of the liquid is desired depending upon therequirements and needs of the patient. Holes are punched or opened atthe selected locations by any suitable punching means, such as a commonpaper punch, or probe or a pressure sensitive cover is removed fromselected pre-formed openings. The pressurized and perhaps pulsating gasflows through the holes and agitates the liquid adjacent thereto. Afterthe treatment, the pump is inactivated, the patient removed from thetank and an opening is formed in the liner adjacent the drain, so thatthe liquid may be disposed of. The liner is removed and is disposed of.

There are at least three requirements on the plastic used for the tankliner:

A. Safety. No potentially harmful compounds may be leached or otherwiseremoved from the plastic under con ditions of use. This places certainlimits on plasticizers and pigments. It need only be remembered thatnerve endings are essentially exposed in burn cases, for exam ple, andfree acid radicals could hurt. Moreover, the plastic surface should beno more slippery than the present stainless steel now used forhydrotherapy tanks, in order to avoid slips and fails when patients areentering and leaving the tank.

. Physical strength. Sufficient strength to resist tearing andaccidental puncturing are necessary. The liner must also be flexible toconform to the tank shape.

. Cost. Since the liner is disposable, cost is evidently an importantfactor. Plastic films of polyethylene of about 0.00l inch to 0.008 inchand above in thickness have proved to be successful and can be used. Aslong as puncture and tear resistance remain high, thin films arepreferred from the standpoint of flexibility and cost. Low density,no-slip polyethylene without added pigment in a thickness of 0.002 inchhas proved successful and has been found to be less slippery thanstainless steel when wet.

In addition to polyethylene films, polyvinyl chloride films can be used.In all cases, the requirements set out above must be considered.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of giving hydrotherapy treatments to localized areas only ofa patients body, as determined by the particular requirements and needsof that patient, by agitating a liquid in a hydrotherapy tank in whichthe patient is at least partially immersed comprising:

providing a hydrotherapy tank with a liquid therein;

disposing a conduit in the tank for the passage of a gas therethrough;

supplying gas to said conduit;

selecting the zone or zones in which agitation of the liquid is desiredin order to treat only those localized areas of the patients bodyrequiring treatment; and

making openings in said conduit adjacent said zone or zones, so that gasflows through the openings and agitates the liquid adjacent thereto.

2. A hydrotherapy tank liner for containing a liquid bath comprising:

a plastic film covering the liquid containing area of the tank;

tubular portions associated with the liner;

said tubular portions being closed at one terminal end and open at theother end for connection to a source of gas; and

said tubular portions being selectively provided with openingstherethrough for passage of said gas to agitate liquid of said bathclosely adjacent thereto.

3. A method of preparing a hydrotherapy bath having selected zones ofagitation comprising:

placing a disposable liner in a hydrotherapy tank;

said liner covering the interior of said tank and having conduits forthe passage of a gas;

flowing liquid into said tank and liner and over said conduits;

connecting said conduits to a source of said gas;

punching holes in said conduits at selected locations where agitation ofthe liquid is desired; and

flowing said gas through said holes to agitate the liquid adjacentthereto.

4. A method of preparing a hydrotherapy bath having selected zones ofagitation comprising:

placing a disposable liner in a hydrotherapy tank;

said liner covering the interior of said tank and having conduits forthe passage of a gas;

said conduits having openings therethrough covered by a removable cover;

flowing liquid into said tank and liner and over said conduits;

connecting said conduits to a source of said gas; removing said coverover said openings at selected locations where agitation of the liquidis desired; and flowing said gas through said openings having the coverremoved to agitate the liquid adjacent thereto. 5

1. A method of giving hydrotherapy treatments to localized areas only ofa patient''s body, as determined by the particular requirements andneeds of that patient, by agitating a liquid in a hydrotherapy tank inwhich the patient is at least partially immersed comprising: providing ahydrotherapy tank with a liquid therein; disposing a conduit in the tankfor the passage of a gas therethrough; supplying gas to said conduit;selecting the zone or zones in which agitation of the liquid is desiredin order to treat only those localized areas of the patient''s bodyrequiring treatment; and making openings in said conduit adjacent saidzone or zones, so that gas flows through the openings and agitates theliquid adjacent thereto.
 2. A hydrotherapy tank liner for containing aliquid bath comprising: a plastic film covering the liquid containingarea of the tank; tubular portions associated with the liner; saidtubular portions being closed at one terminal end and open at the otherend for connection to a source of gas; and said tubular portions beingselectively provided with openings therethrough for passage of said gasto agitate liquid of said bath closely adjacent thereto.
 3. A method ofpreparing a hydrotherapy bath having selected zones of agitationcomprising: placing a disposable liner in a hydrotherapy tank; saidliner covering the interior of said tank and having conduits for thepassage of a gas; flowing liquid into said tank and liner and over saidconduits; connecting said conduits to a source of said gas; punchingholes in said conduits at selected locations where agitation of theliquid is desired; And flowing said gas through said holes to agitatethe liquid adjacent thereto.
 4. A method of preparing a hydrotherapybath having selected zones of agitation comprising: placing a disposableliner in a hydrotherapy tank; said liner covering the interior of saidtank and having conduits for the passage of a gas; said conduits havingopenings therethrough covered by a removable cover; flowing liquid intosaid tank and liner and over said conduits; connecting said conduits toa source of said gas; removing said cover over said openings at selectedlocations where agitation of the liquid is desired; and flowing said gasthrough said openings having the cover removed to agitate the liquidadjacent thereto.